Minnesota Veterans to Be Recognized with New 600-acre Wildlife Area Near Clearwater
Pheasants Forever 07.14.14
A special dedication ceremony for the new Minnesota Veterans State Wildlife Management Area, a project that honors Minnesota’s military veterans with a permanently protected, publicly-accessible wildlife area. This project is the result of Pheasants Forever’s “Build a Wildlife Area” campaign, funding from Minnesota’s Outdoor Heritage Fund (created by the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment) and the contributions of many donors and partners.
The new, 600-acre Minnesota Veterans State Wildlife Management Area stands out as a large, permanently protected area of wildlife habitat near the Twin Cities metro region. The area, to be managed by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, will be open to public hunting and outdoor recreation.
WHO: representatives from the Minnesota Commander’s Task Force, Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and Pheasants Forever
WHEN: Wednesday, July 23, 2014 at 6:30 pm
WHERE: From I-94 interchange at Clearwater, Minn., take State Hwy. 24 south 3.5 miles. The Wildlife Management Area parking lot is on the left (east) side of the highway.
Pheasants Forever launched Quail Forever in August of 2005 to address the continuing loss of habitat suitable for quail and the subsequent quail population decline. Bobwhite population losses over the last 25 years range from 60 to 90 percent across the country. The reason for the quail population plunge is simple - massive losses of habitat suitable for quail. There are five major factors leading to the losses of quail habitat; intensified farming and forestry practices, succession of grassland ecosystems to forests, overwhelming presence of exotic grasses like fescue that choke out wildlife, and urban sprawl.
